 The
last day or so is lots of fun! Here is where an average looking painting
receives all of the finishing finesse that turns it into something special.
More often than not, this is the point where a painting will break new
ground for me and I carry the work to a higher level. Of course, much has
to do with the ground work up to this point, but quite often it is the
polishing and finishing touches that bring the painting to life. In this
last stage, I work with thinner paint. Often using glazes created from
mixing varnishes with the turpentine. Care is taken to soften any hard
edges and make sure that all areas of the painting convey a finished look
that fits the rest of the work. No doubt I will get my fingers into the
paint, blending here and there.
As a rule of thumb, I will focus my attention on the center of interest in the painting. This will be an area with the strongest lights and darks and will also have the smallest details. As I move away and to the edges of the piece, I tend to let the brushstrokes become looser, using more suggestion of detail rather than actual detail. This helps to keep the viewer's eye moving back into the painting rather than traveling to the edges. This, I feel, mimics the reaction of a viewers eye when gazing on the real life scene. Peripheral vision does not consciously convey the same amount of information to the brain as does the center of interest. I know that I am leaving out a lot of information, but I intended this to be an overview of the process. I didn't want this to get belabored with more details than is necessary to show my basic methods. If you have questions or comments please send me an email and I will be happy to respond as soon as I can! |
